Walks in the Park with Friends of Baxter State Park
Each year, a few members of Friends of Baxter State Park make the journey to Millinocket on Opening Day, the day after Martin Luther King Day, and stand in line in sub-zero weather to make reservations for Walks in the Park. Now, be forewarned. A “Walk” in the Park can be just that, a walk; but it can also be a backcountry camping trip, a mountain ascent, or a guided geology tour.
We invite you to join other Friends in the Park. Cabin, bunkhouse, lean-to – we’ve got some of each lined up for each season, in the north and in the south of the Park. We’ve arranged for a winter ski trip to Katahdin Lake as well as what has become known as the “Warm” Winter Weekend in cabins accessible by car. Most trips are two or three nights, but some are shorter day trips.
Check our 2012 Schedule! For more information, contact us at info@friendsofbaxter.org or contact Board member Mike Stillman at poepaddy@hotmail.com
Here is a just sampling of past “Walks” we’ve had in the past.
Early Winter:
Ski in the Park at Katahdin Lake Wilderness Camps. Enjoy a ten mile ski and stay in a cozy rustic cabin and enjoy scrumptious food in the main lodge. Plenty of cross country skiing and winter fun. www.katahdinlakewildernesscamps.com/
Mid-Winter:
“Warm Winter Weekend” at Twin Pine Camps, New England Outdoor Center, in Millinocket. Access easily by car and stay in a cabin with full kitchen. Enjoying cooking shared meals. What could be better than trails sparkling with fresh snow, new friends, and fireside chats. neoc.com
Early Summer
Early Summer: Walk in the Park at Katahdin Lake Wilderness Camps with aquatic plants expert. Kayak, canoe, or swim on Lake Katahdin with a backdrop of the mountains framing your reflection. Witness a magical bog with unique plants, hike the trails, go fishing on the lake or one of several streams. www.katahdinlakewildernesscamps.com/
Mid Summer
Walk in the Park with geologist. This trip also includes a tour of the Scientific Forest Management Area (SFMA) by Park staff. Stay in a lean-to at South Branch Pond and enjoy the Park with a new perspective as you learn about the unique geology of the area and innovative sustainable forestry techniques. Accessible by car, this site is easy to get to and provides access to local ponds, day hikes on South Branch Mountain and North Traveler.
Late Summer
Walk in the Park at Chimney Pond. Hike in and stay in a bunkhouse at this stunning spot in the Park. Hike to Katahdin peak from here, explore the pond and relax by the water and wait for a moose to wander by.
We have also hosted short Walks Outside the Park at the B.S.P. Harpswell property with a BSP forester Barrie Brusila and at the Baxter Woods in the City of Portland with Portland Parks and Forestry Manager Jeff Tarling.